The Fixx’s first new studio album in nine years, “Beautiful Friction,” will be out July 17 though Amazon has samples of many of the tracks, and I have to say that it’s definitely a departure for them.

I am also glad to see that the band has gone back to George Underwood, who did the covers this latest album, as well as their past albums, “Reach The Beach,” “Calm Animals” and “Phantoms.”

The album cover is from one of his paintings named “I Talk With The Spirits.”